MONTEFORTINO

CHURCH OF SAN FRANCESCO

The Fortress of Girone: a fort armed with bastions of defence. The first residential center of the village. Later construction in the 1500s and the erection of a convent overturned the earlier structures, of which only some bits on the south side remain, along with the bell of 1310. The style is Romanesque – gothic. The church was originally called the Church of the Girone. The fortress was dismantled in 1442-1444 by the same Farfensi to prevent the continuation of the Fermana tyranny. The chapel dedicated to Santa Maria del Girone was left (Some remaining closed single lancet windows are visibile from the outside of the south side of the church). The construction materials from the old fortress were used for constructing the new sacred building. Next to the church stood the convent of the Frati minori Franciscans. The Franciscan settlement dates from 1549. The convent was suppressed in 1810 under Italian rule and became public domain. The town purchased the church in 1858. The convent was completely abandoned and continued to disintegrate until it was completely in ruins. The restored church is used as an auditorium and is open only on special occasions.

PIEVE DI SAN MICHELE ARCANGELO

It was built between 1860 - 1870 on the plans of the architect G.B. Carducci di Fermo; the interior follows a basilica plan with a single rectangular nave; in the area of the presbytery and the semi-circular apse there is a peristyle of eight columns, extremely original and striking.

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE OR MADONNA DELLA FONTE

Founded in 1647 with the name Santa Maria delle Grazie. The plan is the shape of a Greek cross with three chapels and three altars. It has an octagonal cupola with lantern and decorations in stucco in the baroque style. The main entrance has a travertine doorway, reconstructed in 1953 using the original model which was of arenaceous stone. On the sides are two secondary doors; on the left one the year 1647 is inscribed, corresponding to the date of its construction.

CHURCH OF SANT'ANDREA

Built at the same time of the first hospital dedicated to the apostle on the directions of the town, who obtained authorization from the Bishop of Fermo in 1421. ln 1602 the Brotherhood of the Buona Morte moved into the church. The present day church dates back to the second half of the 18th century; the facade is in a neoclassical style.

HERMITAGE OF SAN LEONARDO AL VOLUBRIO

The hermitage can be reached by excursion from the Gole dell’Infernaccio by a trail that goes upwards towards the right and passes into a centuries-old beech wood. The church and the Hermitage have been reconstructed from the foundations of P. Pietro da Potenza Picena, called Pietro Lavini, a religious capuchin monk who lived in solitude in “his” monastery for 26 years. At one time there was an active Benedictine Priorship here, with ties to the Monastery of Santa Croce di Fonte Avellana (PS) from the the 12th to the 15th century; at a later date the Priorship was assigned to the Camaldolesi of Monte Corona, who kept it until the division of property into public domain during the Italian Unification.

PIEVE DI SANT'ANGELO IN MONTESPINO

The Pieve of Sant’Angelo in Montespino is of ancient origin. The cult of the titular saint dates back to the Paleochristian period and Lombard domination. The oldest record of the church is from January 977. There is no doubt that this corresponds to the monumental Romanesque church of the same name located on the summit of Montespino. The year 1604 inscribed on a stone found on the right side of the presbytery indicates that prior to that date the church had been built on a basilica plan with a crypt, raised presbytery, three covered naves with semi-circular apses, illuminated by small splayed single lancet windows. The crypt appears to be a remnant of the earlier Romanesque church. The tower was raised as watchtower in the 15th century. Later records indicate that it was one of the most important parishes of the diocese of Fermo. The jurisdiction of the parish extended over almost the entire territory (Montefortino, Montemonaco, Amandola, Comunanza).

SANCTUARY OF THE MADONNA DELL'AMBRO

IThis massive Sanctuary stands at an altitude of 683 s.l.m. The little convent, arcade, and bell tower are 20th century additions. This massive Sanctuary stands at an altitude of 683 s.l.m. The little convent, arcade, and bell tower are 20th century additions. According to tradition, the first chapel was erected in memory of a miraculous event: one day in March in the year 1000, the Virgin Mary appeared to Santina, poor Shepard girl who had been mute since birth, and granted her the gift of speech. In 1073 the chapel was given the holdings of the feudal lords of the territori, who were tied to the Benedictine Abbey of S. Anastasio. The church and its six chapels took on its present day form in the reconstruction that was begun in 1603. In 1595, the town of Montefortino was authorized to demolish a little house adjacent to the church, behind the presbytery, to begin construction of the Chapel. In 1602 the sacred image of the Madonna dell’Ambro was relocated from the old Chapel to its new residence. The reconstruction of the church went on for over 30 years, and in the meantime the decoration of the Chapel of the Madonna went ahead: painters and sculptors such as Martino Bonfini da Patrignone (17th century), Domenico Malpiedi (1634), Virginio Parodi, of the Vatican school (1928) contributed to the decoration. The Sanctuary has been under the custody and direction of the Capuchin Fathers from the Marches province continuously since 1897. Over the years the Fathers have overseen restoration of the church, the square and the surrounding areas.

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DE MARTE

CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA IN BUSSONICO

(LOCATION SANTA MARIA) The cult of the god Mercury is mentioned in an 1403 inventory of property of the church, which states that the church owned a piece of land called ”lu piano Mercuri”. Santa Maria in Bussonico is in fact an ancient parish church that along with the nearby church of Santa Lucia in Consilvano, was under the jurisdiction of the Pieve di Sant’Angelo in Montespino, and therefore can be dated to the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the 14th. The bell tower that stands on the arenaceous hillock has been reconstructed.

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